This item originally appeared in the April 21, 2005 issue of The Tech Talk.

By Erin Bass

Associate Sports Editor

Tech sophomore Ashley Cameron did something last Thursday that had not been done since 1998. The right fielder hit her ninth home run of the season to tie the Lady Techsters' single-season home run record with 14 games to boot.

Cameron smoked a solo home run over the left field fence in the first inning of game one in a double header against the University of Texas-San Antonio (32-15), which Tech dropped 6-3 to the Roadrunners.

"Honestly, the first thing I was thinking to myself was 'get a hit, get a hit, get a hit.' And then when it flew over that wall I was like 'Thank God,'" Cameron said.

Cameron exploded with emotion while trotting down the third base line to home plate after the home run, where her teammates greeted her with equal enthusiasm.

"After some people start hitting home runs they stop getting excited, but every time I hit one it feels like the first," she said.

Cameron's homer brought the Lady Techster record-breaking home run total to 22.

"[Cameron] just relaxed and got back into her normal frame of mind and made solid contact with the ball," Tech head coach Sarah Dawson said. "She has the strength to hit a home run on any given pitch, but she needed the focus.

"For awhile she was trying to hit a long ball every at bat, but that is when it seems to be the furthest away."

However, despite Cameron's record tying home run, the Lady Techsters were not able to break their three-game losing streak as UTSA won the games 6-3 and 10-2.

After Tech went up 1-0 in the first inning, UTSA scored one run in the fourth, two in the fifth and three in the sixth.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Lady Techsters were down 6-3 and looking for a rally. Senior Brittany Stanley hit a single to move sophomore Carly White to third base with one out. Freshman Rochelle Sandberg hit a fly ball into left field that was caught for a second out, and White left third base early, which forced the third out and dashed any hopes of a comeback.

Stanley recently made it back onto the field, making her first appearance on April 6 against Northwest State since mid-March when she pulled a hamstring at the Birmingham Southern Tournament on March 13.

"It is wonderful being back on the field because I did not enjoy sitting on the bench at all," Stanley said.

Stanley said although she was out for a few games, it did not mean she could not help the team.

"I would help the girls playing left field and give them tips," Stanley said.

"I'd also give them the heads up on what the opposing pitcher was capable of."

Dawson also said Stanley was sorely missed and has come back in full force.

"She definitely adds more speed to the lineup," Dawson said.

"Defensively, she is incredible. She can track the ball, hold people to singles where it would have been a double, and she offers a lot of versatility."

Stanley and the rest of the Lady Techsters started off game number two against UTSA tied at one, before the Roadrunners ran away with the game in the top of the third inning by scoring nine runs.

The Lady Techsters were not able to answer until the bottom of the seventh, when they scored one run, but that unfortunately was not enough as UTSA won 10-2.

Tech registered six errors in both contests against UTSA, which Dawson said was their downfall.

"We had a lot of trouble with physical errors in these games," Dawson said. "But it is a problem that can be easily fixed."

Tech is still tied for fifth place with Tulsa in the Western Athletic Conference and returns to conference play tomorrow when they play a three-game series at Hawaii.